


The Soul In Our Fault Lines

by RebelDrFerguson



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Brufred, Fluff, Grieving!Alfred, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentions of Rape and Non Con, Protective!Bruce, Rutting, Scar Worship, Soulmates AU, Swearing, alpha!bruce, omega!alfred, soul marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2019-01-28 06:22:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12600228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelDrFerguson/pseuds/RebelDrFerguson
Summary: Bruce has been a lone Alpha since he was young, he never really understood the marking on his chest, he always questioned the stories of soulmates, find that person whose heart belongs to you completely. He’s saddened to think he’s turning forty-one and never met them. When all this time, his heaven was with the man who raised him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Loved your Alpha/Omega Fic, can I request a soulmate AU? But this time with Alfred as the Omega :D
> 
> OF COURSE, YOU CAN ANON.
> 
> Sorry for the feels, but I just couldn't resist the fluffy heal all bullcrap.

After his parents died, Bruce had been left with questions in life that couldn’t ever easily be answered. Even by Alfred.

 

When he turned fifteen and his Alpha dynamic began to burn through his blood he became frightened by the marking that appeared on his chest. It wasn’t as dark as a tattoo but no matter what he did to it, from burning the skin to bleach, it wouldn’t fade. 

 

When Alfred found him harming himself trying to remove the mark the Butler was left to explain to Bruce that he was coming of age and that mark would appear on another girl or boy somewhere in the world. That person would be Bruce’s soulmate, his true love.

 

The boy was convinced there was no such thing, but when Alfred showed him the pictures of his father’s mark on his mother, he began to wonder if he’d ever find his own. In school, he was told the mark could even appear on three different people. 

 

It didn’t matter whether you consider yourself straight or gay, your soulmark chose for you sometimes and your heart wouldn't argue. 

 

When Bruce truly started out at night as his Batman persona, Alfred made a joke over dinner that Bat’s had the highest homosexual rates than in any other mammal and Bruce was left questioning himself for a full day that his mate could be another man. 

 

Up until he was twenty-eight, he’d considered Alfred to be Beta, a servant. But was surprised when Jim told him that Alfred was actually an Omega. The loyal, caring, parental and surprisingly strongest of the dynamics. This was confirmed when he caught Alfred fresh out of the shower minus the aftershaves that mask his scent. It was perfect, almost. Something gentle and light, subtle like vanilla yet it was missing something, something his brain had been too young to understand.

 

Alpha’s were more muscle and dominance, head of the family, the providers, the fighters. The Beta were servants, they took up most of the jobs in retail or the service industries. An Omega was either kept at home or they moved about the ranks in medical care, infant care and even the army in some instances depending on their skill sets.

 

The Omega were widespread these days, out of ten people in a room you find at least five. There were rules and laws in place, courting rules as well and it wasn’t unusual for some of the more powerful Alpha’s to have more than one Omega at home, perhaps a soulmate and a carrier. 

 

Watching people at work submitting their maternity leave letters made his heart twinge. 

 

He’d watched eight omega men and fifteen women in his company leave to build families by the time he turned thirty and he was becoming sceptical as to whether the soul mate mark lore was true. 

 

Alfred was shy to talk about being an Omega. He tried to avoid the conversation, told Bruce he was too old for raising a family now but that never stopped him caring for Bruce, feeding him, working for him. 

 

When he asked about Alfred’s soul mark, the older sighed and pulled open his shirt to reveal a nasty bullet wound scar that marred the patch of skin that had once formed an intricate shape. 

 

“Can’t you remember what it was?”

 

“No”

 

Nothing else was said about it between them for ten years.

 

* * *

 

  
  


Current day and Clark Kent was dead. Diana and Bruce had been working to plan for the Justice League while Alfred had been puttering about rebuilding the Batmobile. 

 

He was much greyer now, wittier and short-tempered but it just made Bruce love him even more in the strangest way. Alfred had always been his home and he never felt right when the man left town to visit family. 

 

Alfred had rushed out to the pharmacy one afternoon when Bruce fell ill. He’d not had a rut in six years and this one had left him debilitated, fevered and in physical pain. 

 

For four days Alfred’s scent had bugged him, the Omega had never been around while he was rutting until now and the scent of a viable mate drove him nuts. The way he felt for Alfred just made things worse and he hated the fact he’d been advancing on the Butler who was for once in his life looking for all the world terrified. 

 

But that missing note in his scent was confusing. Something that his brain screamed he was to ask about, to question, to understand. 

 

He still had three days of this to endure and if he didn’t get the relief he so desperately craved he was sure he might die. 

 

It was as if his body had drawn the line, with no mate and no bond, his soul was burning up, he felt as if his heart would just stop any minute in its physical pining for its twin. 

 

“Fuck” He cursed as he scratched at the soulmark. The damn thing had been itching like hell and he was becoming more and more frustrated the longer Alfred was gone. He craved to smell him, just know he was there. 

 

He couldn’t explain the feeling. 

 

When the Omega finally returned, Bruce was off his bed and on his feet, herding him into the nearest wall and pinning him with weak limbs nuzzling into Alfred's throat with a deep growl.

 

“Bruce, get off me” Alfred pleaded, it wasn’t like he wasn’t affected by this, it was just that his heats had ended many years ago, he wasn’t viable for this but being this close and personal with a fertile and plausible mate could just undo his biology's clock. 

 

He’d seen men go into heat just at sight of a rutting Alpha nevermind being pressed against the wall by one. 

 

“Bruce, please”

 

With a grunt, Bruce pushed away and stumbled back to the bed looking saddened. 

 

“Can’t you feel it, Alfred?”

 

The older swallowed hard and looked to the floor. “Oh god”

 

“I want you and that’s not just my cock talking, something has always been here with us, I can’t describe it, Alfred, it’s driving me insane” Bruce huffed sitting on the bed and forcing himself to keep still as Alfred set the bag of tablets and dehydration salts on the table. 

 

Alfred paused as he set about opening the packets and sighed. Hiding like this was never going help either of them.

 

“I’ve always felt it Bruce” He admitted and the younger looked up confused.

 

“When you got hurt that first night you left the cave and I promised I would never leave you, I literally couldn’t, I physically can’t find anything in me to leave your side Bruce and it frightened me to think that we were…” He broke off a sob and Bruce was back to his feet as Alfred shrugged off his coat and moved into the bathroom. 

 

“The older you got the more I tried to convince myself you’d find another, that this was just some chemical mix up, but this shit just doesn’t work like that does it?” He half laughed.

 

“I was told your soulmate felt like home” Bruce sighed leaning on the door frame seeing how tense the older held himself like a cat about to strike. “You’ve always been home to me”

 

When Alfred turned to him, his eyes were brimming with tears and Bruce felt himself wrap Alfred into a hug before he realised he’d moved.

 

He nuzzled at Omega again and earnt a whimper.

 

“I’m no good for you” Alfred muttered into Bruce’s bare shoulder. Bruce was unsure why he would say something like that, sure he was much older but why should his age have anything on there love.

 

Alfred stepped away again rubbing at his arms as if he was cold and Bruce found his hand reaching for the mark on his chest again and growled. 

 

“This, this has never itched, it kicked off after you touched it this morning Alfred, don’t tell me that isn’t a clue”

 

“It’s not like we can be sure Bruce, my mark was damaged long ago, I can’t even remember what it looked like” Alfred sighed sitting on the bathtub edge eyeing the Alpha wearily. 

 

Bruce backed up and went back to the bed to let Alfred leave the room. 

 

He returned with a jug of water and a glass, a packaged sandwich and painkillers, placing them on the table he disappeared for the rest of the night. 

  
  


* * *

 

 

By the next morning, Bruce was sure.

 

He’d been pining for Alfred to come back all night, had made for the door to find it locked and raged for over an hour for him to open it. He could feel the Omega practically grieving from across the house. 

 

He could hear him crying in his head and his instinct was to find out who the fuck hurt his mate. Alfred had to be his, he’d never felt like this with anyone and he wanted to know why the Omega was running away. 

 

The missing note in the Omega’s scent still didn't make sense and he was left in tears himself when Alfred didn't respond. 

 

When the door was opened again close on midday, Alfred looked completely worn out. It was clear he’d been upset all night by their discussion and had been considering how to explain what he was hiding from Bruce. 

 

The Alpha had just stepped from the shower and sat down on the bed, towel around his waist looking the older over as he half coward by the door. When he didn’t speak up Bruce decided to start with questions instead.

 

“Alfred, the last time I checked you weren’t supposed to be afraid of your mate?” He asked his voice low and rough from all the shouting he did during the night.

 

“I’m not scared of you...It’s what you could do”

 

Bruce blinked. Sure, he was still rutting, his cock was straining under the towel, the room was heavy and thick with his pheromones and he was sure they were affecting Alfred’s ability to think. 

 

“What I could...do?” He looked the Omega up and down and tried to understand his body language. One arm was around his stomach defensively. “You’ve done nothing to deserve my anger Alfred, what would make you think that?”

 

“I can’t carry”

 

The words hung in the air for a moment and Bruce sighed. “I know that...your heat cycles ended over twenty years ago, why is that an issue?”

 

Alfred’s eyes flashed with a tiny glimmer of hope and desperation as Bruce stood up. 

 

“I-I could still go into heat” Alfred admitted. “But even if I did I can’t carry...I-” He choked up again and Bruce reached out for his free hand, pulling him from the door to his side. 

 

He could feel the older trembling and that frightened him. Alfred was never scared. 

 

“Alfred, tell me...did someone hurt you?”

 

It was the only conclusion Bruce could come too, that Alfred had been harmed or previously mated, perhaps even lost children. 

 

“Back in Afghanistan, I was walking through one of the deserted villages looking for survivors when I was attacked...by two of my own platoon. I was only a day out of my last heat, they were angry that I had rejected their offers”

 

Courtship was common, you didn’t have to be soul mates to mate, some Alpha’s didn’t mind who they took if they were young and desperate enough. 

 

“What did they do?” Bruce asked gently, wrapping an arm around the older’s back holding him closer. It was difficult to keep his distance in this state, he wanted Alfred so badly he was barely thinking straight. 

 

“They cuffed me to one of the walls and took their turns” Alfred growled out heaving a shuddering sigh as he tried to ignore the memories. 

 

All of sudden Bruce could understand why Alfred had been hiding his scent since he’d left the Marines. Traumas like rape could have massive effects on an Omega when they weren’t courted, prepared, loved. 

 

They were strong and delicate at the same time. It made Bruce furious to think Alfred had been harmed by men he once would have trusted. He expected tears, part of him wanted Alfred to break down to accept his comfort but he held firm, unfinished with the story and Bruce held his breath for what he was about to hear.

  
  


“They left me there for a good hour before one of them came back, said he’d tried for three of my heats to convince me to be a good ‘whore’ and I now didn’t deserve his pups, that I didn’t deserve anyones” 

 

Bruce was sure his eyes were on fire, someone had said such disgusting things about his mate!!!

 

HOW FUCKING DARE THEY?!

 

Alfred stepped back from his hold and Bruce forced himself to calm down as Alfred felt the rage barreling off him. 

 

Alfred tried several times to open his mouth to speak but the words choked him. “Bruce...I-I need to know this is true, I want to know I supposed to be with you before I agree to any of this”

 

Bruce was shocked by the bitterness in Alfred’s voice and his shoulders slumped. “You-Alfred you don’t have to do this, I’m not going to demand you or ask this of you, I’d rather die not knowing if this is going to hurt you” He pleaded even though his body was screaming the opposite. 

 

“No...we can’t, we can’t ever be fine if we don’t know the truth...but, I don't want to upset you if this isn’t what you want it to be” Alfred said coming to sit on the bed and reached down to pull a scalpel out of the pocket of his trousers. 

 

Bruce moved reached for the instrument in worry. “Alfred, don’t do something stupid” 

 

“We can’t know because you can’t see my mark, but if everything you feel is true, Bruce, the only way the only way we can tell is to mix the blood” 

  
  


That was true, their connection wouldn’t complete without their brains having solid proof registering there mate. Sitting beside Alfred, Bruce pondered the risk. 

 

Would finding out if they matched be worth the pain of finding they weren’t? 

 

“I want to know before I do this Alfred, why your scent isn’t complete...it’s beautiful but incomplete…”

 

Alfred looked away playing with the scalpel in his hand. “I’m infertile…”

 

Citrus. 

 

Alfred’s scent was missing the citrus notes of a fertile mate. His brain literally crashed and rebooted in shock with itself that it hadn’t even thought about the idea. Of course, if Alfred couldn’t carry he was infertile...right?

 

“I know what your thinking and no that’s not the truth, I would still be fertile somewhat, I would just never carry if my age was the only thing in the way here” Alfred huffed wiping a tear angrily from his face. His dark brown eyes glistened with more unshed tears and Bruce felt guilty. 

 

Standing up Alfred left the knife on the bed and standing in front of Bruce he stripped off his light blue shirt. Bruce’s eyes immediately jumped to where Alfred’s soul mark should have been and swallowed at the sight of the bullet wound scar.

 

Alfred unbuckled his belt and pushed his jeans down his hips just enough for Bruce to see the rest of the scars. 

 

Three dark red and jagged lines stood out against Alfred pale skin under the smattering of hair running down his stomach. Stab wounds. 

 

In perfect precision to pierce and burst the ovaries, damage the womb wall. True to his word, that young Alpha army brat had indeed maimed his mate. 

 

Damaged him with little chance of a full repair. With no soul mark and very slim chances of carrying he’d left the army years later disguised as a Beta and run across the world to take the refuge Thomas had offered after Alfred had saved his life. 

 

Bruce was too old to have pups around him now if he was honest, but he couldn’t go on feeling this alone when his soulmate could have been so close. 

 

“I’m useless to you”

 

Bruce was on his feet as soon as the words left Alfred again and lifted him up against the wall to kiss him almost violently. 

 

The Omega shoved at his shoulders, whimpered and struggled for a moment before he gave in, sinking into the warmth from Bruce’s body, the passion that poured from his lips and the way there pheromones began to mix. 

 

Bruce reminded him of old smokey pubs, his scent was musky, hot and comforting. Battered leather, match smoke and just a little bit dangerous.

 

Before he knew it the towel around Bruce’s hips had disappeared and he moaned at the feeling of the Alpha’s hard cock pressing against his own smaller cock. 

 

“You...are not...useless to me” Bruce panted when they finally broke and holding Alfred to him he pushed down the older’s jeans and boxers to hit the floor. 

 

“I don't care about you carrying my pup’s Alfred whether it would have been a beautiful sight to see” 

 

They hit the bed in a mess of limbs as Bruce set about kissing his way across Alfred’s throat, physically trying to prove his need. 

 

When Alfred stopped responding he looked up to find him staring at the scalpel on the sheets beside them. 

 

When their eyes met Bruce reached out for it, rolling aside to admire the blade. He offered it out to Alfred who sat up no longer shy of being naked with the younger. 

 

Alfred took Bruce’s hand and nicked the tip of his middle finger on his right hand. Bruce winced and watched Alfred do the same to his own left hand. 

 

Bruce was lost in Alfred’s eyes as the older reached out with his cut hand to press the wounds together. The moment Alfred glanced up when skin touched, the room went white.

 

It couldn’t have been more than fifteen minutes, but Bruce opened his eyes to find himself wrapped around Alfred on the bed, the Omega tucked into his chest peacefully dozing. 

 

Alfred’s scent was stronger now, clearer and Bruce realised as he moved to sit up that he wasn’t in pain. Sure he was still as hard as a rock but instead of an odd feeling of need for sex with anything he had the desperate urge to knot Alfred and Alfred alone. 

 

He felt a little detached from his own body as he rolled Alfred over, pushing him down into the sheets to nuzzle at Alfred’s shoulder that his teeth practically itched to mark. 

 

Alfred stirred beneath him, arms wrapping around Bruce’s waist seeking his body heat, he turned his head and buried his face in Bruce’s arm. He felt hot and dizzy, his thighs felt wet and his eyes shot open when he felt Bruce nip at his neck.

 

Bruce was leaning over him smirking as Alfred felt at his own chest, looking down to see the soul mark was reappearing, faint, yet as if it was burning through the damaged skin. The same as the one of Bruce’s chest. It reminded him of a dove.

 

“Alfred?”

 

Blinking the Omega looked up slightly lost as he tried to comprehend how he felt. 

 

“Alpha?”

 

The words left his lips almost subconsciously and whimpered loudly into Bruce's mouth when the younger lent back down to kiss him once more. 

 

He let Bruce pet and physically worship him in kisses and playful bites until he felt himself becoming uncomfortable, he was itching and sweaty, he couldn’t breath and the room felt too warm. 

 

Looking up from the junction of Alfred’s hip, Bruce smirked, the Alpha's eyes were dark, the pupils blown in arousal at the scent of his mate and he purred low in his chest as he spread Alfred’s legs. 

 

He was going into heat.

 

“Fucking hell” Alfred cursed bring his legs up and fighting with the sheets to scrambled from Bruce’s hold but the Alpha got a better hold of him and pulled him back down under him. 

 

“Bruce!”

 

The younger hushed him gently cradling him tight to his broad chest returning to just rub at his back as Alfred tried to comprehend the situation. 

 

“The bond set you into heat Alfred...you're safe, I’m here” He offered feeling the harsh and heated breath against his neck as Alfred felt the waves of lust wash over him and the slick pooling between his thighs. 

 

He could feel Bruce’s cock against his thigh and he moaned into the Alpha’s shoulder as want rippled through him. He wanted this and he didn’t want this. 

 

He was frightened of the memories but at the same time wanted Bruce to erase them with his own cock. It was all too much at once and he shuddered as he fought between pushing Bruce away and pulling him closer.

 

“I-I can’t…”

 

“That doesn’t matter... I told you…” Bruce whispered pressing Alfred back into the sheets pinning his arms as he continued his assault on the Omega’s neck.

Bruce was undoing him, his perfectly chiselled self-control was cracking and his biology clock already broken, it would be long before he gave in he was sure.

 

Clutching at the sheets Alfred forced himself to still as Bruce nipped down his sides, kissed at his scars, his cock until his legs were lifted and he felt Bruce’s tongue kitten licking at his wet entrance. 

 

His self-control broke after a few moment of Bruce’s tongue teasing his hole and he heard himself beg, jumbled words spilling from his lips in desperation to feel his Alpha inside him, to finally be one with his soulmate. 

 

Bruce didn’t waste time sliding back up Alfred’s body spreading the Omega’s thighs and settling himself between them as he kissed him silent. 

 

“Tell me if you need to stop” Bruce whispered gently as he pressed himself forward the head of his cock sliding into Alfred all too easily. 

 

Just that simple feeling made Alfred buck his hips in protest, legs wrapping around Bruce and one hand struggling in the sheets while another came to weakly paw at the youngers broad chest. He was torn in the worst way between accepting this and fighting it, his body open and wanting while his mind wrenched away wanting nothing more but everything at the same time. 

 

“Please...Bruce...Alpha just, move”

 

He didn’t want to change his mind but given a big enough chance he might find himself running from the room. He wasn’t just burning from the heat in his groin, but the shame he felt for his failing. An Omega who couldn’t offer an heir was worthless and he knew it. 

 

At least that’s what his mother had always insisted. She’d been angered to hear her son had been harmed but never exactly supportive to find she’d not be granted grandchildren. 

 

The shame flowed through him as Bruce bottomed out with a groan, the Alpha trying to bring Alfred back from his thoughts with hot open mouth kisses to his shoulders. 

 

Alfred could feel himself trying to detach from the sensations but the bond wasn’t allowing it, Bruce was barrelling through his mind, tearing into his thoughts, locking his fears away and pulling Alfred from his self-absorption all while the Alpha smothered him in with his own desire.

He could feel himself going limp, forced himself to focus on the feeling of Bruce’s cock as the younger picked up the pace, left behind the gentle and cautious motions to pull Alfred as close to his chest as possible as he began to thrust deeper, lost in the Omega’s tight heat. 

 

“You feel so good...oh Alfred, fuck” Bruce was almost breathless with need, hips forcing his cock as deep as he could and groaning out as Alfred clutched to his back at the feeling of Bruce’s knot swelling. 

 

Alfred was sure he’d never been this wet, never been this high on the pleasure as Bruce wrapped a hand around Alfred’s cock and began to pump it in turn with his thrusts. 

 

“Come for me, mon coeur, come for me” 

 

His brain stuttered at the command, he was lost in crying out his pleasure as he came and the fact Bruce had just spoken French when Alfred was sure he’d never been, let alone had lessons.  

 

Alfred knew French fluently and he wondered as he messed Bruce's hair in his hands, the Alpha grunted forcing his cock deeper making them both cry out as his knot locked in place, whether he’d read that from his subconscious. 

 

Unable to fight his want, Alfred turned his head baring his throat and he felt Bruce look up, concern flicked in the Alpha's eyes as he realised the unspoken offer. If Bruce didn't take him, Alfred might feel rejected and try to abandon their bond, if he claimed him, well, he’d have to settle with the fact they may never be more than two. 

 

As his teeth sunk into the Omega’s shoulder he poured everything he had into the link hoping that Alfred would finally understand that just spending every day with his mate would be enough for him.  

 

The sensation of Bruce coming so deep inside him in such hot thick spurts and his teeth marking his shoulder, washed away the last coherent thought and Alfred sunk into his body letting the heat enveloped his mind and settled against his Alpha’s chest as Bruce lay them more comfortably.

 

Alfred felt himself dozing off, falling into a warm and peaceful sleep as Bruce licked at his mark and occasionally moaned out, shuddering as another orgasm rippled through him filling Alfred as much as he could even if it would amount to nothing. 

  
  
  


* * *

 

  
  


Bruce awoke with a start from haunted dreams, sitting up to find himself in bed staring at the wall. The dread and cold melted instantly to his surprise, the dream no longer lingering as before and he huffed out a breath he’d been holding. 

 

Turning he smiled to see Alfred curled up on the other side of the bed, his heart swelling with pride and affection at the sight. The ghosted warmth of his mates subconscious pushed aside his dream, as the butler shuffled and turned to look over his shoulder sleepily. 

 

There was no need for words for Bruce to understand that he wanted his Alpha closer not only for his own comfort but to keep Bruce from those dreams. 

 

Settling back under the cover’s Bruce tucked Alfred’s back to his chest and kissed his neck.

 

_ ‘I love you’  _

 

Alfred merely hummed in response to the words that echoed in his mind and Bruce closed his eyes with a smile. There were no regrets from either party anymore.

 

What was there to regret when you find you’d not missed a single day with your one true soulmate. Bruce may have wandered the hell that is Gotham's streets, but he’d been living with heaven for far longer. 


	2. As Requested!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter got some much love I have indeed done the second chapter...the continuation will arrive as a new fic called Blizzard, featuring all the justice team and a baby Damian Wayne! Look out for it soon!

He couldn’t be sure how long he’d been out here now. Alfred had felt fine not long after he’d finally left Bruce’s bed, made lunch and set out to collect wood. Bruce had gone down into the cave to do some research seeing that Alfred’s heat seemed to have passed. His scent was still over powerful and it took the Alpha some willpower to give his mate some space after the night before. He could see from Alfred’s eyes alone, never mind his body language, that he was defenceless, his walls broken down and he’d frozen up the moment Bruce reached out to him from behind like the Omega had expected to be manhandled.

 

Fury still burned through Bruce for what Alfred had told him and the Omega could sense it. Bruce still ached to take revenge for what had happened to his mate, alas the men that had committed the act had died during an ambush only months after and Alfred had been moved into a different squad due to promotion.

 

Another chunk of wood in the box and Alfred was slowly wiping sweat from the back of his neck. It was late August, not very warm and the sky was a dismal light grey. As he stood collecting his breath he felt that familiar itch creeping back up. His biological clock was so messed up with the fact he wasn’t actually ovulating properly that his body was failing to signal in the right places. 

 

He was still in heat. 

 

If he’d have been fertile Bruce would have scented it and Alfred knew he'd have never left that bed, but because his scent was incomplete the Alpha couldn’t quite grasp what the Omega’s hormones were trying to signal. It would take time to grow used to, though Alfred was unsure he’d ever have another heat once this past. He was far too old for it. 

 

As he bent to collect the next block from the pile, he crumpled to his knees with a groan as slick rushed down his thighs. If he was anywhere else, Alfred would have been terrified, alas the manor grounds were so large the odds of another Alpha smelling his heat was minimal, only Bruce would likely catch him if he were outside.

 

He took a rest by the wood for a good ten minutes hoping for the wave of dizziness to pass.

 

But when the soft and steady purposeful crunch of leaves reached his ears, Alfred was scrambling back against the woodpile and reaching for the axe he’d dropped only to notice the broad figure that was marching towards the wood stores was Bruce. 

 

“Alfred?”

 

The handle of the axe slid from his grasp as his Alpha came closer, concern was etched into Bruce’s handsome features, dressed in his usual blue shirt and waistcoat, sleeves rolled up and eyes dark.

 

“Alfred, are you okay?”

 

Alfred wanted to speak up, say something in response, but the connection between his mouth and brain seemed to have cut off and he felt himself starting to shake in a mixture of fear and lust as Bruce’s pheromones floated across to him on the light breeze. 

 

The Alpha paused barely six feet from the Omega and glanced him over. 

 

“I’ll take that as a no” Bruce offered gently approaching much slower now, letting Alfred see his every move. 

 

Alfred stumbled back over a few strewed blocks of wood in a haze of confusion and uncertainty. God, he wanted Bruce right now. He wanted Bruce to take him right here but his fear wouldn’t leave, he couldn’t fight past the fog of distrust or the memories of pain so he stood trying to block Bruce’s path like a scared child, feeling stupid and pathetic for trying to run from the man he loved.

 

He loved Bruce. 

 

Bruce loved him. He could feel it. As he continued to stumble back over the wood and past the piles and stacks he’d made over the years he could feel Bruce trying to calm him over the bond. Reaching out as gently as he could to push away the memories and replace them with the night before. Broadcasting the one thing, that eventually, made Alfred stop in his attempt to back away as he reached the trailers. 

 

The soulmark.  

 

This wasn’t just some Alpha, it was HIS Alpha, his soulmate, his home. It was safe here. 

 

Bruce stopped in front of him as Alfred stood to lean on the side of one of the caravans, legs weak and eyes shimmering with unshed tears he gave into the arms that wrapped around his waist and crumpled into Bruce’s hold seeking his warmth, his security. 

 

The hard length of his Alpha’s cock pressing into his own groin made Alfred whimper into the rough denim shirt. He could feel himself overheating and struggled in Bruce’s hold communicating his desperation. Cool lips found his throat, finger’s deftly thumbed apart his shirt and Alfred moaned out at the feeling of Bruce’s hot wet tongue against his bond mark. 

 

“Need you”

 

He hated to sound like what people would consider a typical Omega, sex-obsessed and shy but Bruce was making it a little bit hard to be ashamed of that. Alpha’s got off on the dominance, watching their partners go weak at the knees for them and Alfred couldn’t help himself trying to please. 

 

His own hands clutching Bruce’s collar, Alfred let his head thunk back against the caravan as the Alpha’s hands ran down his sides, fingers teasing at the waistband of his trousers, hot open mouthed kisses spreading across his shoulder, down his chest and back up this throat until Bruce’s claimed his lips with a chest deep growl. 

 

“Bruce…”

 

The hands slid under his thighs and he found his feet leaving the floor. Burying his face in the crook of Bruce’s neck he let the Alpha carry him around the opposite side and up the short steps into the open van. Alfred couldn’t lie and say the fact Bruce could hold him with just one arm like he weighed nothing more than a child, didn’t make him wetter. 

 

Laying Alfred down on the double bed in the lone bedroom of the caravan, Bruce set about removing the rest of the older’s clothes stripping him until he lay bare against the white sheets. 

 

Alfred remained quiet as Bruce traced his fingers over the scars on the Omega’s abdomen. They felt like shackles around his heart, just knowing someone else was the cause of his soulmates pain, knowing he had no way to make this better than to just accept it. The scent of Alfred’s arousal brought him back to himself and he set to work on his own clothes only able to pull himself free of his waistcoat and shirt before he dove between Alfred’s thighs to lap at the sweet-scented nectar. 

 

“Alpha…” Alfred’s hand thread into the younger’s greying locks as he spread his thighs, his own cock throbbing at the sensation of Bruce’s hot tongue licking hot stripes up his legs, dipping the tip into his hole and shuddered at the sounds of the billionaire moaning as he worked. 

 

Two long fingers joined the party and Alfred bucked his hips as Bruce curled them searching for that sweet spot to hear the older crying his name as he worked him to orgasm.

 

When Bruce finally crawled further up his Omega’s body, unzipping and moving his trousers just enough to slide his hard cock into Alfred’s heat, the sounds leaving the butler’s mouth turned pornographic and Bruce was slightly thankful there were no neighbours. 

 

He found the Omega more responsive than before, limbs relaxing as he let Bruce take control, encouraged him to thrust faster, deeper, as hard as he could go to the point where Bruce could hear the bed protesting between the sounds of their lovemaking. 

 

Alfred’s second orgasm fired off so strongly across their bond that Bruce found himself slamming home seconds after and baring his teeth back into the Omega’s marked shoulder with a roar as his knot locked in place.

 

They were dripping with sweat, the sheets damp and sticky beneath them as they came down from the high. Alfred was peppering Bruce’s soulmark with kisses as the younger tried to keep himself from dropping on the Omega beneath him as another orgasm rippled through his body. 

 

He lent to nuzzle at the bond mark as Alfred pulled him closer seeking the warmth and Bruce tugged the covers up over them. 

 

Alfred pushed the damp locks of Bruce’s hair from his forehead as the younger turned his head to kiss him. 

 

“Perhaps I was wrong then huh?” Bruce smirked as they settled awaiting Bruce’s knot to go down. 

 

“About what?” Alfred muttered sleepily. 

 

“Your heat, I thought it might have ended” Bruce yawned pulling Alfred tighter and groaning as his cock pulsated again. 

 

“So...did I” Alfred admitted comforted by the scent of their mixed pheromones and sex falling asleep in moments against Bruce’s chest unaware why he was so tired. 

 

* * *

 

 

Alfred’s heat and Bruce’s rut only lasted another day, Bruce hadn’t been too hopeful that anything would come of it. But part of the Alpha had wished he’d been prepared for the aftermath. 

 

With no pup to carry, Alfred’s body went into rejection expelling the contents of his womb leaving the poor Omega in agony. 

 

Bruce had been in his office when he heard Alfred cry out, the clatter of dishes and gasp of surprise had him barrelling around his desk and towards his kitchen to see Alfred on his knees clutching his stomach and shaking like newborn lamb. 

 

His face was pale and it took Bruce considerable self-control not to panic over the distress Alfred was projecting over their shared bond. 

 

When Bruce reached out to pull him up, Alfred hissed shoving his hands away as he tried not to lose the contents of his stomach on the tiled floor. 

 

Bruce stepped back trying to understand the signals his mate was throwing off, he was distressed because he was in pain, like an animal he’d feel defenceless, scared. But for Alfred the pain was a reminder, the gateway to bad memories and he saw Bruce as a threat in this state, he was upset with himself more than Bruce and shame flooded the bond when they both spotted the blood seeping into the older’s jeans. 

 

It took half an hour of planning and grabbing supplies from the Omega’s trailer as Alfred remained on the kitchen floor curled in on himself watching with caution as his mate prepared to try and make him comfortable. 

 

A further ten minutes of being pushed off, gentle but encouraging words and a worrying moment when Alfred found the strength to bolt past him into the bathroom to be sick before the Omega gave into his Alpha's care. 

 

Having lost the battle with his stomach Alfred was left too weak to fight off Bruce as the younger started to strip him down and lowered him into a hot bath. 

 

Alfred remained quiet for the full hour that Bruce spent cleaning him down, fetching him fresh clothes and sanitary pads Alfred had left in one of his cupboards. He merely nuzzled into Bruce’s neck when the younger carried him back into the living room to settle in the nest the Alpha had made on the sofa with their bedding.

 

Seeing Alfred curled up with tears in his eyes in his mass of bedding left Bruce at an odd crossroad of emotions. He felt angry with himself for having not thought this could happen, annoyed he’d not educated himself on Omega biology enough to know that without a pup Omega’s would usually bleed like any beta or omega female and he felt guilty for having invoked the bad memories he’d tried so badly to force away. 

 

He’d at first thought Alfred was mad at him, alas when he came across from the stove with a hot mug of soup and toast for Alfred, the older finally spoke up as they ate. 

 

“It’s not your fault”

 

Bruce sighed softly but continued to eat. “It sort of is”

 

“There’s nothing wrong with you, it’s me Bruce” Alfred huffed sipping the warm liquid. 

 

“Alfred, you're hurt, you can’t be blamed for another man’s actions, if I’d have bothered to learn anything about your biology I would have known this could happen, I would have been prepared to stop you feeling like this” Bruce offered reaching over to squeeze Alfred’s leg that was covered by the duvet. 

 

“The devil never cares, Alpha’s aren’t supposed to care for this Bruce, Omegas aren’t supposed to fail at their one job either” Alfred whispered swallowing down the lump in his throat. 

 

“Carrying my pup isn't your job Alfred, you’ve done your job, that was raising me, you’ve taken care of a pup whether it be someone else's or not, you’ve done your job and if it was even possible, you’d succeed at doing it again I know you would. Right now, I just want you happy, I need you here, I'd be useless without you” Bruce offered setting their mugs down before he stood.

 

Alfred went to sit up but winced and whimpered before Bruce settled him back down. “Just gimme a second I’ll get you some painkillers, okay?”

 

The Omega remained in his comfy duvet nest on the sofa until Bruce returned, taking the pills he offered they both settled under the covers, Alfred snuggled tightly to Bruce’s chest as the Alpha tried to comfort his pain away. 

  
  


* * *

 

  
  


The night came and went, Bruce, spent the time between comforting Alfred making phone calls to excuse himself from meetings and rescheduling them even when the Omega protested he wasn’t worth derailing Bruce’s important business for.

 

“I’ve had others need time off Alfred, so I can take it as well” 

 

When Bruce did not show up to his bat signal a few evenings later, Jim found himself in the living room with a cup of coffee listening to the pair tell him about the past week. 

 

The old commissioner was a little annoyed with Bruce for not having called for help, but when Alfred made it cleared he’d have not wanted any Doctor’s fussing about him, he let it go. 

 

Both Alpha’s convinced the Omega he would need to see a Doctor at some point to make sure the bleed hadn't aggravated any of the previous damage, but Bruce knew getting him in the car to go would be whole other matter entirely. 

 

Though Bruce was surprised when Alfred did request to visit the clinic the day after. 

 

“It’s been four days, the bleeding isn’t as bad but it should have stopped…”

 

But when they started for the car, Alfred froze up and Bruce decided against the clinic opting to phone out for a doctor instead. 

 

“Mister Wayne?”

 

Bruce jumped up from the sofa to see the female doctor exiting his bedroom and shutting the door behind her. 

 

“Is he okay?” Bruce was nervous to fuck as to whether he’d caused some damage to Alfred by sending him into heat.

 

“Mr Pennyworth is going to be fine, I’m going call in and schedule him a few tests but as far as I can see, this was no normal bleed, he actually miscarried” She explained as she fussed in her equipment bag on the table. 

 

“Wait...what?”

 

Alfred was infertile. 

 

“It seems that your mate’s chances of carrying had actually improved since the incident, although the womb was so badly damaged it failed to remain stable which is why he’s bleeding, he mentioned his scent had been different since he left the army?” 

 

“Yes, erm, it’s never been, erm c-complete as long as he’s been with me…” Bruce stuttered trying to comprehend her words. 

 

“Well, now it should slowly come back to normal having triggered a heat, your partner is fertile to the looks of it, but as I said, I’ll book him for a few tests see if there is anything we can do to reduce his pain and encourage the wombs repair” She smiled zipping the rucksack. 

 

“But-he’s...Alfred’s almost seventy years old, he’s too old to carry” Bruce said confuse staring at the closed door of his bedroom. 

 

“Omega’s are never really too old to carry, the heats only stop when they have no viable mate in a certain period. But I wouldn’t advise him carrying in this state, he needs to gain some weight and see an omegaologist but if the choice for family is on the cards Mister Wayne, I don't see why he wouldn’t carry to term” 

  
  


On those words, he let her go, thanking her with the check for the bill and set about putting the kettle on knowing Alfred would just be as shaken by the Doctor’s findings. 

 

When Alfred eventually left the comfort of the bedroom he made straight for Bruce’s arms and the younger couldn’t keep the smile off his face feeling the Omega seeking his comfort. 

 

It was a clear sign that wounds were definitely healing. 

 

As they settled on the sofa after dinner that night, Bruce chose to let Alfred decide whether they should accept the stroke of luck and seek to build a family.

 

Alfred seemed wary of the idea and Bruce made it clear he really didn’t mind the choice, they could take preventive measures easily to stop this again. 

 

“It might sound selfish, as of right now, no, I don't feel as if we need to force this Bruce, I-I don’t fancy all the fuss” He sighed feeling a bit guilty for now turning down the chance. 

 

Bruce cocked his head and smirked. “I’m sensing a but…”

 

Alfred smiled back and leant up to kiss his mate. “But...if I do go into heat again, if that doctor isn’t wrong and my scent comes back...then yes, yes I would want your family, your pups, to know that even as I’m grown old, that I can leave behind a reminder that I love you...that you’ve never been alone”

 

If the tears and kisses were anything to go by, it was proof that love would indeed fix things sometimes. That even in the dark-hearted, the lonely, in the damaged or the hurt, that love can prove every man has a soul in their fault lines whether it’s marked or not. 

**Author's Note:**

> So far, this is a one chapter thingy...if you'd like me to continue this into adding Bruce courting Alfred properly, all that fluffy domestic stuff and perhaps even let Alfred have a pup, you're going to have to be brave and comment. Because how am I supposed to know what you want if you don't tell me, dear reader! 
> 
> Dedicated Waccawheels once more. Thanks to them for this beautiful sketch that prompted my ending. I can only take credit for the writing.


End file.
